An Overview of the ARRL Logbook of the World
First, the bad news: Logbook of the World (LOTW) isn't really a logbook, it's a QSO-matching and award-tracking system. This means you can't print out QSL cards like some other electronic logbooks. But also, the good news: LOTW can reduce the length of time waiting for confirmations and some of the possible expenses for a confirmation, and only requires the use of a computer-based log and an internet connection to deliver your log information to LOTW. It also is the only electronic logging software accepted for many awards (such as DXCC and WAS). It does allow you to recover your records from the system in the event of a loss of data at home, but the level of detail in the recovered log may not be as much as your original log files. Certificates To have some integrity, award participants in any awards program are required to give their word that their log information is truthful. On paper, that is done by signing the application. Since an electronic log is not on paper, it must be signed with a digital "pen". This is in the form of a certificate. Certificates let you sign things electronically. This is just like a physical signature, in that it says "I am responsible for this", but it's actually a lot more secure because it's essentially impossible to forge. It also ensures that the contents of the document you've signed (in this case, the log) haven't changed since you signed them. Once you sign a log and send it to the Logbook, they know it's from you. But how do you get one of these certificates? You need to prove to the ARRL that you own the callsign you're requesting a certificate for. This PDF will walk you through the process. Once you've submitted that request file ("TQ5 file") to the ARRL, you still have to confirm your identity. If you are a US ham, you will receive a postcard at your FCC-registered address with a password that you'll have to enter online. If you are a non-US ham, you'll have to postal mail proof of license and identity to the ARRL - directions here. Once the confirmation process is done, you'll receive a "private key" by email that can be used to sign your logs. This key can be considered your master key. To make use of this key, an operator uses the Trusted QSL computer program. TQSL manages the key for the operator and signs a log prior to that log being uploaded to the Logbook of the World. The master TQSL key is valid for three years. During this period, this key can be used to sign additional certificates without going through the original verification process. The requests may be either for renewal, or to create keys for other calls you may be responsible for. For example, if you operate portably as W1XXX/1 of you go on vacation and are issued a call C6XXX, you can create certificates for those calls yourself. The original certificate is used to validate the additional certificates. Trusted QSL (TQSL) What is Trusted QSL (TQSL)? Basically it is a program that allows you to sign logs using your private key and submit them to the ARRL for processing. It is NOT a general-purpose logging program, though it does include a rudimentary logger. Most logging programs interface with TQSL for LoTW submission so you may not even use it directly. Logs Awards Station information Operators need to make sure their locations are correct in TQSL before ever uploading a QSO to LOTW. This site will lets operators determine their station's ITU and CQ Zones: http://www4.plala.or.jp/nomrax/hammaps.htm This site does the same for 6-character Maidenhead grid locators: http://f6fvy.free.fr/qthLocator/fullScreen.php Certificates A certificate is required for each callsign to be entered into Logbook of the World. This is true even if a station was operated "portable", for example N5UWY/9 requires its own certificate and cannot use the certificate for N5UWY. You get the first certificate when you verify your identity. Once you've done that, you can request other certificates using the identity authorization provided by your first certificate. This is called a signed certificate request and it's much simpler. Because they already know it's you, you don't have to do anything at all on that front. You will have to prove you're authorized to use the callsign you claim, but if it's a country that your country has a reciprocal operating agreement, this counts as authorization (i.e., you must request a certificate for TI5/W1ABC if your main call is W1ABC, but you shouldn't have any trouble because Costa Rica is on the list). Same with Canada (W1ABC/VE3) or portable signs (W1ABC/3). But if it's not a reciprocal agreement country, you'll need to prove operating authority (but not identity, which is provided by the original call). Each certificate requires one or more location configurations within TQSL for every location from which that station was operated. If QSOs signed with the same certificate but with a different location are re-uploaded to Logbook of the World, the system will only update the location info for each QSO record and not generate a new QSO record. If QSOs are signed with a different certificate the LoTW DB will create an entirely new QSO record. Assuming the re-uploaded QSO is the correct version, then the previous QSO is now referred to as a "zombie" since it can never be matched and will live in the database forever.